periwig — [per′ə wig΄] n. [earlier perwyke, altered &LT; Fr perruque: see PERUKE] a wig; specif., one of the type worn by men in the 17th and 18th cent., usually powdered and having the hair gathered together at the back with a ribbon … English World dictionary

periwig — noun a highly styled wig worn formerly by both women and men and retained by judges and barristers as part of their professional dress. Derivatives periwigged adjective Origin C16: alt. of peruke, with wi representing the Fr. u sound … English new terms dictionary